What Jesus said about ... (series)

 

What Jesus said about ... Heaven.

"In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?" John 14:2

Jesus mentions Heaven several times in His teachings but there is only one description of the place as quoted above. He describes Heaven as a place with many rooms. This is because it was the only imagery that the people of the time could understand. They had seen many mansions and palaces so to describe Heaven in such terms would engender an image and a place that they would all long for. Certainly better than the place with acrid smell and burning flesh and gnashing of teeth which He describes graphically on many occasions.

If you were to die today, are you sure you will go to Heaven? And what do you expect to find when you get there?

God, Jesus, The Holy Spirits and the Saints and Angels are spirits. They exist in an invisible world. We are immortal spirits too, (souls), inhabiting a temporary body which in time will decay and turn to dust. The implications here are that when we go to Heaven we will not need a physical place with many rooms and hot and cold running water and a mini-fridge with drinks and chocolates.  

Some Christians also believe that at some stage our souls will re-unite with our bodies and we will live for eternity in these new bodies without blemish, illness or whatever disabilities we may have. I have often asked why will we be re-united with our bodies; and as yet got no satisfactory answer. But that aside, one would ask, if we are to have a body will we need a physical place like a mansion to live in?

Another reference to Heaven by Jesus deals with the immediacy of getting there. 

"And He said to him, (the thief crucified beside Him),  “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:43.

He did not say you'll be with me at Judgement Day, or after spending some time in Purgatory, or at any other future date. He said: today.

Other references to Heaven deal with our attitude towards it and how to get there. "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21.

"The Kingdom of Heaven is like this. A man happens to find a treasure hidden in a field. He covers it up again, and is so happy that he goes and sells everything he has, and then goes back and buys that field. Also, the Kingdom of Heaven is like this. A man is looking for fine pearls, and when he finds one that is unusually fine, he goes and sells everything he has, and buys that pearl. Also, the Kingdom of Heaven is like this. Some fishermen throw their net out in the lake and catch all kinds of fish. When the net is full, they pull it to shore and sit down to divide the fish: the good ones go into the buckets, the worthless ones are thrown away. It will be like this at the end of the age: the angels will go out and gather up the evil people from among the good and will throw them into the fiery furnace, where they will cry and gnash their teeth." Matthew 13:44 onwards.  

 

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